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Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

llllll INVENTOR By Atzomeys, S una/IBM A 71 R. W. UHLIG.

TYPE WRITER.

APPLICATI'ON FILED MAY 21, 1913.

Patented Au 8,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

By Attorneys, 5W,

Patenfed Aug. 8, 1916.

INVENTOR 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WITNESSES:

RICHARD W. UHLIG, OF ARLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ATLAS TYPEWRITERGO.,"IN C., OF YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

To all whom it may concern: I

' Be. it known that .I, RICHARD W. UHLIG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Arlington, in the county of Hudson and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inType-Writers,

of which the following is a specification.

" This invention relates to typewriting m achines of the'down-striketype-bar class, its

object being to produce a machine of such simplicity and cheapness ofconstruction that it can be put on the market at an exceptionally lowprice, and yet have as far as possible the capabilities of the highpriced standardmachines. The new machine has or may have the same keyboard as the most commonly used high priced typewriters; 1t

. has a light and owerful action, there is the minimum liability ofinterference of the type bars, and the types strike a sufiiciently sharpblow for the production of several lear manifold copies.

In the accompaying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the machine, beingpartly broken away in horizontal section; Fig. 2 is a verticaltransverse section; Fig. 3 is a similar section showing one type bar inthe act of striking; Fig. 4 is a sectional front view in planes to therear of the keys, the key-levers cal mid-section through the slottedsegment 7 showing the band 9' detached; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary frontiew of part of the handy; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan partly 'inhorizontal section showing the escapement; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary endelevation of part of the carriage; Fig. 11 shows part of Fig. 10 in adifferent position; Fig. 12 is a sectional side view showing amodification.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a frame, which may in generalbeof the customary design, so that it both supports and Specification ofLetters Patent.

TYPE-WRITER.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

1 App lication filed May 21, 1913. serial-no. 769,001.

largely incloses the working parts; B B are the key levers carrying theusual. keys B, C C are the type bars, D is the platen or impressionroller, and E is as ahwhole the carriage. I

Each of the key-levers B is pivoted on a fulcrum a, and its rear armengages an up: right actuating part, best formed as a slide F so that asthe key is depressed this slide is lifted. This engagement is best madeby forming a lug on the piece F and turning it laterally so that itstands transverse to the direction of the rear arm of the key lever, theend of the latter projecting through a slot cut in this lug b, as shownin Fig. 7 so as to engage between shoulders formed by the ends of theslot. The slot confines the key-lever laterally and keeps it in correctengagement with the slide. The upper'part of the slide F is formed withteeth constituting, a rack c which engage with pinion teeth 0 on thetype bar (3. The type bar carries preferably three types, the middle oneof which normally strikes the impression roller or platen D, the latterbeing shifted as will be described in case it is desired to print eitherthe outer or the inner type. The type bars are arranged in radial order,as shown in Fig. 1, their printing heads turned so that when thrown backto the printing point the type heads will each occupy the same positiontransversely of the platen, as is understood.

The key levers have their pivots a at vary-' ing distances from theprinting point, these pivots being so disposed that each lever has thesame ratio of front or key arm to rear arm, so that the keys have anequal dip. The pivots are formed by providing each lever with atransversely projecting pin, which pin enters into notches in asplitpivot post d projecting upwardly from a plate G which is fixed in-placein the frame A; the key le-' ver resting in the slit or kerf which ismachined across the post. Each lever has its own individual spring '6which may be variously constructed, being shown as a coiled springguided on a rod, and reacting against a top plate 6' whichis are shapedand fastened to the main frame.

The type bars C are pivoted in aslotted segment f having an unslottedbase fastened to the main frame. Its upper portion has radial slots invertical planes, each 'slot re ceiving the rack portion a of the slide Fand the pinion portion 0' and adjacent part of prevent the forwarddisplacement of the parts and at the same time to conceal the slots asviewed from the front, a band 9 of I etal plate is carried around thecurved iient face of the segment, being fastened the etc at its ends byscrews. This band 9' thus guides the upper end of the slides F and keeptheir teeth in mesh with the pinion teeth 0'. The lower endsof theslides F F are suitably guided, being shown as moving freely throughslots in a plate 11. which is fastened to the plate G. To enable theengagement of the band 9 with the slides a to be individually adjustedeither in the origlnal assembling or to take up wear, the band is formedwith a series of individual tongues or fingers 9 as shown in Figs. 8 and8, which fingers can be bent more or less to enga e their-respectiveslides.

he letter-feed movement is in general of the ordinary kind, comprising auniversal bar H overlying the rear arms of the key levers so as to belifted u on the depression ofany key, and connecte 'at its ends to leverarms H fixed on a rock shaft H carrying a rear arm H, which is.connected by an adjustable link It to the escapement J. A

.spring k pulling upward on an arm k retracts the parts and keeps theuniversal bar pressed down upon the key levers. A special spacing leverI is provided, mounted like the other key levers and carrying a spacebar I, which is shown as extending in front of the keys. The escapementJ is shown in itstwo opposits positions in Figs. 2 and 3. It comprises arack bar hung between pivots z i at its opposite ends, which pivots arecarried by a supportingxpiece i. The rack bar car-. r1es a rack j racky" mounted to slide longitudinally moving as usual a distance of onetooth, and recapement racks engage a carriage rack 74' which is fixedlyattached to the carriage.

When no key is depressed, as in Fig. 2, the carriage rack engages themovable escapement rack j; when any key is depressed the link 7:. pullsdown u on its connection with the escapement bar and tilts the latter tothe position shown in Fig. 3, thereby first engagin the rack j with thecarriage rack is, and t en releasing the rack 7" therefrom, whereuponthis rack is retracted by its I spring. Upon the release of the key theescapement tilts back to its first position, the

rack jengaging the carriage rack teeth just edly attached to it, and avbefore the rack j is released therefrom; thereupon the light spring 7'yields and the carriage feeds forward one space.

For releasing the escapement to permit the carriage to be movedbackward, a sliding release bar K is provided having one end upturned toform a handle K, and mounted to slide obliquely by the engagement of itsslots Z Z with fastenin studs l, sliding thus against the tension 0 aspring 1 When retracted by this spring its rear edge is out of contactwith the escapement,

to the position shown .in Fig. 9, whereby its;-

rack teeth are pressed back out of engagement with the teeth of the rackk, as shown in said figure. To permit this, the movable rack y" isconstructedso as-to have a double movement, being adapted to moverectilinearly in the ordinary letter-space feeds,

and to turn around a pivot so as to swing backwardly in this releasemotion. Asimple construction is that [best shown-in Fig. 9,

where the rack j iasasl'pt n engagin a pin n'so that it may either movelongitu inally upon the pin or may tilt around the pin. The spring 7'.is arranged to pull obliquely, so that it acts to restore the rack7".in either movement. To accomplish this the rack is formed with-arearward arm n to which the spring is attached and which makes the rackessentially an elbow lever as to its tilting movement.

The carriage E comprises a base E which slides between stationar barsp 1) attached to'the main frame, ba s being interposed in grooves asusual to make themotion nearly frictionless. The rack attached to therear bar of the base E. The platen D is supported in bearings formed ina platen carrier comprising horizontal end pieces L L which areconnected by longitudinal rods L formin a horizontal y sliding frame,the bars L serving as slidesmoving in slidefrom lower case to capitalsis accomplished by pressing down 9 a capital shift key -M' mounted on alever M; and the shift to printfigures or othero-f the outer types isaccom- 13 I point under one of the outer types.

plished by pressing down a figure shift key N mounted on a lever f N.Pressing the former key moves the platen forward to bring the printingpoint under one of the inner types, this being the position shown inFig. 3; pressing the latter key, moves the inner platen backward tobring the printing The shift mechanism will now be described. The shiftlevers M N are pivoted on a rod 9 and areprolonged rearwardlyby arms M Nrespectively which as shown m Fig. l are curved toward the middle of themachine and terminate beneaththe platen. On their rear ends these armscarry cam plates P and P respectively. These cam lates have oblique camslots either of which is adapted to engage a longitudinal .bar Q whichis hung beneath the carriage on levers Q at opposite ends of the carriae, the upper arms of these levers being orked'and engaging the platenspindle at the opposite ends of the platen. The leversQ and bar Qconstitute a rigid frame having parallel motion so that in whateverposition thecarriage may be the cam grooves of theplates P P when theyengage the bar Q will impart to it, and through the-levers to... the

platen, an equal and parallel movement to,

front or rear. The shift movement is shown in Fig. 3, which shows onlythe capital shift key lever M and itsconnections, the figure 7 shiftlever being omitted. Each plate P P has in addition to the oblique camslot an upright face P, the two faces P when the parts are in normalposition being approximately vertical, and guiding the bar Q betweenthem, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to keep it in its central position andthereby hold the platen in its normal line of travel for printing lowercase types. The shift levers M N are retracted by springs 9 shown inFigs. 1 and 3, these springs being preferably helical compressionsprings held on rods passing through them, and reacting upwardly againstthe under side of the frame.-

A shift key lock is provided shown best in Fig. 4; it consists of alever B, its upperarm serving as a handle, and its'lower-arm.-havinglock shoulders on opposite sides, sov that when turned to one side itengages and locks the lever M when depressed, and when turned to theother'side it engages and locks the lever N. To release either shift-keythe lever B may be ushed back toward its mid dleposition; or y merelypressing down'on the depressed key its engagement: with the lock leverwill be released and the'locklever will be restored to its centralposition by its spring 1', which is a leaf spring tending to press itfrom either side toward the middle;

To renderthe writing visible, the ribbon which is advanced over theprinting-point beforethe impression of the type, is retractedduring thereturn swing of the typebar. The ribbon s is carried between spools. S Sand v-throughja r'ibbonlguide, ,Shaving fingers forming slides through.which..the.ribbon passes, as shown.in.Fig.,1.. This guide i S. liesnearly horizontally, being pivoted ,at

its frontpart to anlelbow-lever. having its, short armv T. engaged by anarm. T attached to the, universal bar: .11. and projecting upwardly and:.rearwardly" therefrom' so .as 5 to overlie the. armTfl'." Theupperarmof theleverT has 'a cross piece engagedb y a spring. 8'. In-thenormalposition of. he parts the guideE-S is held in its forward or retractedposition by the arm :as, shown in "Fig. .2, thus. exposing the. printingpoint (shown at m. inwFig. v 1) ,,VVlien a,.key. is struck, the risingof the universal .-ba r releases thelever T; andathe spring a. tilts thea lever T; and advances-, .the..guide;S, to. the positionshown'in Fig.3.

Inasmuch vas. the actual location of -t he printing point, ehanged by.vthe operation of the shift keys, it. is necessary to effect an r: equalShlftfOf the,ribbon'-guide,;.in; orderthat the ribbon. may.follow. theprinting point. This is-accomplished by pivoting the lever T at .t to.a;:slide t. which moves'in-forward or backward direction ways-.25 (Fig-.2.) a: and is so connectedto-theplaten carrierL as to participate intheshiftingimovements of theplaten. This connection is madewby fixingto. the slide t a --projecting fork which engages :a rod. w, whichrod-forms .e part of the .platen-carrierL U, bei-ng'isupiported from thefrlontrod L" by meansof rigid connecting pieces at its opposite .ends.Thus. as theplatenr' is shifted forwardlfyi or backwardly of itsniormaLm-id positionit H carries-the slide t with it, and consequentlyequally shiftsthe-ful'crum' t, and hence-the lever T and-ribbon guideS's, thuscarryi-ng the ribbon to the: new; locationof-the print ingpoint. f -'r 1 L- The ribbon is" advanced in; usual manner byitsspoolsbeing geared to' pinions-zen upright shafts *v. '0: Which at theirlowerzends carry bevel gearsm oneror other of whichis driven by bevelpinions b en a longitudinal /shaft Uhaving-bearingswin the mainframe andproj ecti-ng at its opposite ends, so "that the operator maypress uponthe projecting end and thereby throw the-shaft? toward the oppositeends,thereby throwingonepinion out of' gearyand the other into g'ear,- and re12.0 versing the ribbon. The shaft has grooves U engagedby a spring UThe shaft U carries a ratchet wheel 20' (Fig.-2) which is operated by'a"pawl ll/hung on a lever w having fork arms embracing betweenthern theuniversal bar H. T I f The carriage has the usual: paper holder V. Theplaten is turned to impart the-line feedby meansof theusual ratchetwheel D engaged by a pawl 3/ carried on a line feed lever D. The feedpawl works between stops one of which 1s adjustable to va the hnespacing. The forward stop is z Fig. 5) an the rear stop is 2, the latterlieing movable to zary the line spacing. The stop 2 is an arm turning onthe platen shaft and having a slight movement toward or from a plate It.fixed to the platen carrier and huh pins' between which the sto zisheld. o shift the stop, it is presse to the right, this being resistedby a light spring z' (Fig. 1) whereby to withdraw a pm 2 which itcarries from one of two holes in the plate E, and upon being displacedis dro ped into the other hole. The plate E an its holes is shown inFig. 10, the stop a being shownin dotted lines. The ratchet clicksagainst a roller or pin carried by a lever arm W pressed toward theratchet by. a spvrafig' to hold the laten after the line feed. en it isdesire 'to turn the platen freely, this arm. W is pushed away by movinga cam lever W the lower arm of which has a cam face which engages thelever W main' frame.

and throws it away from the ratchet wheel, so that this roller clearsthe ratchet teeth.-

For causing the types to'register accurately at the printing point, theusual gage 14 isprovided, having as usual a tapered notch mto which thety e bars enter. This gage is carried on a bri ge piece 15 fast ned yscrews 16 to the opposite ends of the segment 7', whereby it is easilyremovable by unscrewing these screws. The bridge piece .15 also servesto hold down the ribbon guide S havingefor this purpose fingers 17 17,the latter ing elongated at 18 to serve also for holding down the paper.The paper is held around the platen by a guide roller 19 and fingers 20as usual.

The type bars fall back against an arcsha d cushion 21, of felt or othernoisedea ening material, which is held in a groove formed betweenflanges 22, -23 on the This invention admits of improvements m' theproportioning of the type bars whereby superior results are attained.The type bars instead of being of a length approximating 5 inches, arereduced to approximately 3 inches in length or less. The head carrym thethree types may be of the same size an weight as heretofore; but thetype bar extending thence to the pivot is not onl shorter, but is madeof lighter material than heretofore, this being made possible because ofits diminished length, which rmlts of the same stiffness being gained ythe use of a thinner and narrower bar, so that the weight of the'typebars need not exceed one-quarter of those heretofore used.

Thus the inertia of the type bar is greatly dlmmished, particularly soas the weight of the type head is brought so much nearer the pivot thatits eifective weight is correspondingly reduced. Hence 'even if otherproportions were unchanged, the ty e head will be set in motion withless resistance. tofore the type bars have ordinarily moved through anarc of about a quarter circle or 90 degrees; but in this new machinethey are given a movement approximating 180 degrees. A three-inch barmoving 180 degrees travels a proximately 9 inches, where'- Hereany massaccelerated by the application of' mechanical force.

In a down-strike machine, giving the bars a throw of 180 degrees, brin sthe types face up, where they lie norma ly against the cushion 21, wherethey are readily accessible for inspectionor cleaning.

The type bars lie normally in vertical planes radiating from a pointforward of the printing point and nearly. coinciding with the center ofthe gage 14. The type bars are thus most closely related at theirpivotal ends, diverging thence to their heads. It results from this thatthere is such divergence of the type head paths that the types may cleareach other when an approaching and receding type'bar pass at less than90 degrees from the striking point.

The opportunity for high speed is thus afforded, since while one typebar is receding its successor may be advancing to print. Thus for morethan one half of the stroke of the type bars they are non-interfering.

The machine is rendered very compact by reason of the short type barsand their bein so closely assembled. This is possible on y through theconstruction of the slotted segment f, which enables the type bars to bebrought very closely together.

The various'features of improvement result in a typewriting machine ofextremely simple, light, and compact construction, having all theessential capabilities of the standard high priced machines, and yet ofsuch cheapened construction, that it can be roduccd at about'one-quarter the cost. In ightness of touch, speed, and manifoldingpower, this machine excels the heretofore standard machines.

It is not strictly necessary to 'myinvention that the type bars have thefull 180 degrees swing which is preferable. Fig. 12

degrees. This arrangement will somewhat increase the speed, but willslightly diminish the manifoldlng power. Otherwise it has the sameadvantages already explained.

The carriage is provided with a marginal space bar pivoted to it atpoints 26 at opposite ends, its main portlon bemg extended parallel withthe platen andhaving a series of holes 27 into which may beinserted apin 28 the end of which projects beneath the bar and serves to stop itagamst a fixed stop 29 attached to the main frame of the machine. Thepin 28 is preferably screwthreaded and screws into the holes to holditsecurely. The pin is set in one or other of the holes according to thewidth of margin desired. When it is desired to writev a full line theframe 25 is lifted to carry the pin 28 over the stop 29. For so liftingthe frame a handle 30 is provided projecting upwardly from it andserving as a lifting lever. In printing such full line the pin- 28should clear the stop 29 without stopping the feed, and for this purposethe stop 29 carry the latter, beyond the is beveled so that it allowsthe pin to ride .j'bver it in moving in-the active direction. The handle30 projects up adjacent to the line space handle D so that the operatormay conveniently operate both simultaneously by pinching them betweenthe thumb and finger of the right hand, whenever he desires in makingthe return line feedvand return stroke of the carriage to position forwhich the margin stop is set.

The invention may be modified in many respects as will be apparent. Itsnovel features are those set forth in'the claims.

Those features of the typewriting machine herein set forth which relateto the case shift and the corresponding ribbon shift, are not hereinclaimed, being claimed in my divisional application No. 857,465 filedAugust 19, 1914.

That feature of thetypewriting machine herein set forth which relates tothe margin stop, is not claimed herein, being the subject matter ofdivisional application No. 858,013 filed August 22, 1914.

I claim as my invention 1. In a typewriter, a down-strike typebar movingthrough approximately a half circle, having pinion teeth, an uprightslide having rack-teeth at its upper end engaging said pinion teeth, anda key-lever connected to the lower part of said slide to lift it andimpart the printing movement to .the typebar.

2.. In a typewriter, a platen, a series of down-strike type-bars, afixed segment having radial slots receiving the pivotal portions of thetype-bars, and upright actuating slides for the type-bars movingvertically in said slots and having a toothed engagement with thetype-bars.

3. In a typewriter, a fixed slotted segment, a down-strike type-barpivoted in a slot of said segment, and having pinionteeth, an uprightslide movable. insuch slot and having rack-teeth at its upper endengaging said pinion teeth, and a keyelever connected to the lower partof said slide to liftit for imparting the printing movement to thetype-bar.

4. In a typewriter, a slotted segment, down-strike type-bars pivoted inthe slots thereof and having pinion teeth in such slots, upright slideshaving their upper ends in such slots with rack-teeth engaging saidpinion teeth and their lower portions projecting below such segment, andkey-levers beneath such slides.

5. In a typewriter, a slotted segment, down-strike type-bars pivoted inthe. slots thereof, upright slides in front of the piv-' ing said slots,and occupying the front portions of the slots, and a removable partfas-' tened against the front of the segment, and closing the slots toguide the slides and hold the type-bar pivots in place. i p

7. In a typewriter, a segment having radial slots and a horizontal slotintersecting them, type-bars in said radial slots with their pivots'i'nsaid horizontal slot, upright slides in said radial slots, havingtoothed engagement withsaid type-bars, and an arcpiece fixed to thefront of said segment to close said slots, and engaging the fronts ofsaid slides to guide them and hold them in operative engagement with thetype-bars, and thereby to hold the pivots in place in said horizontalslot.

8. In a typewriter; a platen, a series of down-strike type bars, a fixedsegment having radial slots receiving the pivotal portions .of thetype-bars, and an intersecting slot opening away from the platenreceiving the pivots of the type-bars, actuating'slides for thetype-bars moving in said slots, and a band closing the outer ends ofsaid slots and holding the slides in engagement with down-striketype-bars, asegment having.

radial slots receiving the pivotal portions of the type-bars, slides.for the type-bars.

moving in said slots, and a band closing, the

outer ends of said slots and holding the slides ineugigment with thetype bars,

said band havlng fingers engaging the re- .spective slides-andadjustable indlvidually.

v 10. ha typewriter, a platen, a series of said slide, said slidecrossing said key lever.

down-strike type-bars with their pivots, a segment having radial slotsreceiving the pivotal portions of the type-bars, and a horizontal slotintersecting the radial slots and receiving the pivots of the type bars,1

upright slides for actuating'the type-bars, moving vertically in saidslots, and means for holding said slides in engagement with the typebars and thereby retaining said pivots in said horizontal slot.

11. In a typewriter, a type-bar, an upright actuating slide having atitsupper part toothed engagement with the type-bar, and a key leverengaging the lower part of and having a lateral projection engaging saidkey lever.

12. In a typewriter, a series of type-bars and actuating'slides thereforhaving toothed key lever entering and confined laterally by the slot insaid ear.

" 14. In a typewriter, a segmdhthaving radial slots, type-bars pivotedin said slots,

upright slides with their upper ends guided 15. In a typewriter, aseries of key-levers having on their front arms keys arranged instraight rows, a series of down-strike typebars moving throughapproximately a halfcircle, a slotted segment having closely-adjacentslots in which said type-bars are pivoted, a series of upright slideshaving at their upper ends' a toothed engagement with said type-bars,and connected at their lower portions to the rear arms of the respectivekey-levers, the latter arranged in converging order and of varyinglengths with intermediate pivotsarranged to afford for therespective-1evers similar ratios of front to rear lever-arms, to give auniform throw to the types for equal dips of the keys.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

' (RICHARD W. UHLIG.

Witnesses:

THOMAS F. WALLACE, FRED WHITE.

Come! 0! this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressingthe "commissioner of Patent:

Washington, D. 0."

